C&S Wholesale Grocers to Close Baldwin Distribution Center

News Summary

C&S Wholesale Grocers has announced the closure of its Baldwin distribution center, leading to significant layoffs of about 490 employees. This decision is part of a broader restructuring plan following its acquisition of Southeastern Grocers. The 1.2 million square foot center, located strategically north of Interstate 10, has been instrumental in supplying services to regional retail chains. While C&S aims to maintain supply chain operations, the future employment of affected workers remains uncertain.

Baldwin, Florida – C&S Wholesale Grocers has announced the closure of its distribution center located in Baldwin, resulting in significant layoffs of approximately 490 employees. The closure will occur over the coming months, beginning in July, and is part of a larger restructuring plan following a recent acquisition.

The distribution center, covering a vast 1.2 million square feet on a 200-acre campus, was originally developed by Winn-Dixie Properties between 2000 and 2001. It is situated at 15500 W. Beaver St., strategically located north of Interstate 10 and has long been associated with the Winn-Dixie brand.

In a significant financial move in 2013, the campus was sold in a sale-leaseback transaction for nearly $100 million to American Realty Capital, who currently manages the property as ARC WDJKVFL001 LLC. Southeastern Grocers, which is headquartered in the Baymeadows area of South Jacksonville, oversees operations at this facility.

C&S Wholesale Grocers, which has provided services to both Winn-Dixie and Bi-Lo since 2005, will implement the layoffs as it phases out operations at the Baldwin site. It remains unclear how many employees from the Baldwin facility will find positions at other C&S locations.

The restructuring comes after C&S Wholesale Grocers, on February 7, completed a deal to acquire Southeastern Grocers and its 170 stores from Aldi. This move follows Southeastern Grocers’ sale of about 400 stores to Aldi earlier in March 2024. Despite the closure of the Baldwin distribution center, both C&S and Southeastern Grocers are affirming their commitment to maintaining supply chain capabilities to ensure a steady supply of products to their stores.

Historically, the Baldwin distribution center has played a pivotal role in supplying warehouse services to Bi-Lo following their merger with Southeastern Grocers in 2012. As a part of that agreement, employees from the six distribution centers operated by Winn-Dixie transitioned to working for C&S Wholesale Grocers.

As of now, C&S Wholesale Grocers operates 31 locations across the United States, including several in Florida: Baldwin, Jacksonville, Miami, and Plant City. Founded in 1918, C&S supplies over 7,500 supermarkets, chain stores, military bases, and various institutions nationwide.

While the Baldwin center closure will impact nearly 500 employees, C&S continues to lease additional warehouse space along Edgewood Court, another former Winn-Dixie property in West Jacksonville, which spans 892,000 square feet. This property has a complex ownership history, with its latest sale reaching $36.4 million in 2024.

As the closure unfolds, C&S Wholesale Grocers has not provided detailed information on how the changes will affect overall staffing or operational strategies moving forward. However, the company’s previous commitment to supply chain integrity remains a focal point as they navigate this transition.

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Additional Resources

• CTC Funeral and Cremation: Gervais Baldwin
• Tri-County Independent: Baldwin Obituaries
• Hartford Courant: Robert C. Baldwin Obituary
• Dignity Memorial: Robert Baldwin
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tammy Baldwin News
• Wikipedia: Baldwin, Florida
• Google Search: Baldwin, Florida
• Google Scholar: Baldwin, Florida
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Baldwin, Florida
• Google News: Baldwin, Florida